Page Contents
Accessibility principles
Reasonable Access as an organisation aims to make our content as accessible to as many people as possible. We are aware our early materials are heavily text and online based as these are easiest to manage with our current skill-sets and limited money. We have plans to produce audio and video materials, run in-person events and seek training in using Easy Read as we build capacity. We will include accessibility costs as explicit items in budgeting for events, activities and funding requests.
When collating external resources we will try to find and link to materials in a broad range of formats including Easy Read, Large Print, Word format, British Sign Language and audio-visual modalities. Where a resource is not optimally accessible we may encourage the original publisher to improve the accessibility. We may also create our own accessible versions where we can do so legally using the disability exemptions of the Copyright Act 2014 [Formats: text and audio].
Document format and design
Reasonable access will:
- Use structured Microsoft Word or HTML as our default document format as we know PDFs can be difficult for many people to access and navigate using assistive technology.
- Encourage organisations we engage with to produce their materials in an accessible format.
- Sometimes convert third party materials to Word or other accessible formats ourselves where we are permitted to use the disability exemptions of the Copyright Act 2014.
- Provide alt-text (where possible) and visible text captions of images to describe and explain the purposes of images.
- Produce a short summary of the content and purpose of audio and video materials to help people decide if they are worth accessing.
- Provide transcripts of audio materials.
- Ensure our video materials have captions, transcripts and text audio descriptions of content. Where possible we will have voiced over audio descriptions within a version of the video.
- Use headings and styles tags and a table of contents in Word documents and web pages (HTML) so they are easier to read and navigate – especially for documents longer than half a page.
- Ensure sentences and list items have full-stops at the end.
- Keep tables in documents accessible by having the same number of columns throughout. We will avoid merging cells or nesting tables within tables.
- Avoid using colour as the only way of indicating important information.
- Avoid images of text, and where they are used we will provide a full transcription.
Online communities
Reasonable access will:
- Provide all new members with accessibility guides to help them keep their contributions as accessible to other members as possible.
- Find and use systems that are as accessible as possible, especially to people using assistive technologies to facilitate their full access.
- Moderate the content of community contributions to ensure content stays on topic and discriminatory or abusive content is removed.
- Try to use a range of different modalities to increase accessibility and flexibility.
- Consider the implications of privacy, real-name requirements, ‘walled-garden’ and subscriptions when using services.
Events
Reasonable access will:
- Provide access information about any venues, parking, local transport and local food shops.
- Anticipate and publish information about accessibility and how people can contact us for additional information or requests.
- Ensure PAs/Carers are not charged for entry.
We are also likely to follow much of Sisters of Frida organising toolkit.